Harris County Court Records

Harris County court records cover civil, criminal, family, and probate cases filed in the largest county in Texas. The District Clerk and County Clerk both maintain public records at the courthouse in Houston. With about 4.7 million residents, Harris County handles more court filings than any other county in the state. You can search cases online through the District Clerk's portal, or visit the courthouse at 201 Caroline Street to review files in person. The clerks process hundreds of thousands of cases each year across 24 district courts and numerous county courts at law.

Harris County District Clerk

The Harris County District Clerk is Marilyn Burgess. Her office oversees 24 district courts and handles the county's largest case volume. The office employs over 600 staff and runs on a budget of about $60 million. In 2021, District Clerk Burgess won the G. Thomas Munsterman Award for Jury Innovation, which recognized improvements to the jury service process. The District Clerk maintains all felony criminal cases, civil lawsuits over $200,000, family law cases, and juvenile matters. That includes divorce, custody, child support, conservatorship, and termination of parental rights. The main office is at 201 Caroline Street, Houston, TX 77002. Phone: (832) 927-5800. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Harris County District Clerk's website at hcdistrictclerk.com lets you search court records by party name or cause number. You can view basic case info, docket entries, and case status for free. Certified copies cost $1 per page plus a certification fee.

The e-Gov portal at e-gov.hcdistrictclerk.com gives you access to civil, criminal, and family court records online. You can search by case number or party name without creating an account. The system shows all filed documents, hearing dates, and court orders for most cases. Some older cases may not appear online, and sealed or restricted records are not available through the portal. For a look at the official District Clerk portal, the screenshot below shows the public search interface at hcdistrictclerk.com, which handles millions of Harris County court records. The District Clerk portal is the main starting point for most Harris County court record searches, covering criminal, civil, and family cases.

Harris County Clerk

The Harris County Clerk is Teneshia Hudspeth, the first African-American woman to hold the role. Her office manages misdemeanor criminal cases, probate matters, and all official public records. That includes deeds, liens, assumed names, marriage licenses, and Commissioner Court minutes. The County Clerk also handles records from the Justice of the Peace courts and County Courts at Law. The County Clerk's main office is at the Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline Street, 4th Floor, Suite 460, Houston, TX 77002. Phone: (713) 274-8600. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1525, Houston, TX 77251-1525. County Clerk records from 1961 to the present are searchable through the online system at cclerk.hctx.net. The TexasFile site at texasfile.com also offers free searches of county clerk public records including deeds and property filings.

The e-Gov portal screenshot below shows the online interface at e-gov.hcdistrictclerk.com, which covers civil, criminal, and family court records for Harris County. The e-Gov system lets you search Harris County court records by case number or party name without a login.

JustEx and Other Harris County Resources

JustEx at justex.net is the Harris County Administrative Offices of the District Courts system. It provides local court rules, grand jury information, process server registration, and court calendars. If you need to find which judge is assigned to a case, or review the local rules that apply to Harris County district courts, JustEx is the right place. You can also see hearing dates and track pending matters for active cases. The screenshot below shows the Harris County Clerk records interface at cclerk.hctx.net, which maintains official public records separate from the District Clerk system. The County Clerk system covers deeds, liens, marriage records, and other public filings going back to 1961. For statewide searches, re:SearchTX from the Texas Judicial Branch indexes e-filed documents from courts across the state. It covers Harris County along with hundreds of other Texas courts. Basic access is free. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney bar number. The system is especially useful when you are not sure which county handled a case. The JustEx portal screenshot below shows the Harris County district courts administrative system at justex.net. JustEx contains local rules, court calendars, and grand jury information for Harris County district courts.

Types of Harris County Court Records

Harris County court records fall into several main categories. The District Clerk handles felony criminal cases, civil cases over $200,000, and all family law matters. The County Clerk handles misdemeanor cases, probate, and real property records. Justice of the Peace courts handle small claims, Class C misdemeanors, and eviction cases. County Courts at Law handle civil cases up to $200,000, Class A and B misdemeanors, and probate. Criminal court records in Harris County include charge documents, grand jury indictments, plea agreements, trial transcripts, sentencing orders, and probation terms. Civil records include petitions, answers, motions, discovery orders, summary judgments, and final judgments. Family law files cover divorce petitions, property settlements, conservatorship orders, support orders, and modification filings. Probate records include wills, inventories, guardian appointments, and estate closings. Records are generally open to the public under Texas Supreme Court Rule 12. Exceptions include juvenile records, adoption records, expunged cases, and any matter sealed by court order. If you need to look up whether a case has been expunged, you typically will not find it through the online system. Some financial documents attached to court filings may also be restricted. If you are not sure what is available, call the clerk's office before making the trip to the courthouse.

How to Search Harris County Court Records

The fastest way to search is through the online portal at hcdistrictclerk.com. Enter a party name or cause number to see case details. The system returns party names, case type, filing date, assigned judge, and a list of docket entries. For newer cases, you can often view the actual filed documents. Older cases may only show the index. You do not need an account to run a basic search. For civil and family cases, the e-Gov portal at e-gov.hcdistrictclerk.com shows more detail. You can see all documents filed in a case, not just the docket summary. For county clerk records including deeds and marriage licenses, use the County Clerk system at cclerk.hctx.net. For statewide searches, try research.txcourts.gov.

To get copies in person, go to 201 Caroline Street in Houston. Bring the cause number or the names of the parties. Staff can locate the file and make copies on request. Plain copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies cost more. If you need a certified copy of a final judgment or court order, plan to pay a per-page fee plus a certification charge. The clerk's office can tell you the exact amount before they make the copies. You can also request copies by mail. Send a written request to the District Clerk with the case number, the names of the parties, and the specific documents you need. Include a check for the estimated cost or call ahead to confirm the amount. The office mails copies back once the request is processed. Processing times vary based on the volume of requests.

Court Record Fees in Harris County

Harris County charges $1 per page for plain copies of court records. Certified copies carry an additional certification fee on top of the per-page charge. The exact amount depends on the document type and the number of pages. Call the District Clerk at (832) 927-5800 or the County Clerk at (713) 274-8600 before your visit to confirm current rates. Fees do change from time to time. Viewing records online through the District Clerk portal is free. You can search by name or case number without paying anything. Downloading or printing documents from the portal may carry a per-page fee depending on how the system is set up. If you need a lot of documents, it can be more cost-effective to visit in person and request them directly from the clerk's office. Fee waivers are available for qualifying low-income individuals. Under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145, you can file a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. The court reviews the request. If approved, you will not have to pay filing fees or copy costs. Forms are available at the courthouse or through txcourts.gov.

Harris County Court Records Online Portal

The Harris County District Clerk operates a public records search portal at harris.tx.publicsearch.us. The portal shown below is the main online tool for finding court records in Harris County without making a trip to the courthouse in 24. You can search by party name or cause number and get back case type, filing date, party names, and docket history at no cost. The system covers all records maintained by the District Clerk, including felony criminal cases, civil suits, and family law filings. For records that predate the online system or that require actual document images, you will need to contact the clerk's office in 24 directly.

Use the portal above to run a name or cause number search before visiting 24. If the case you need does not appear in the local portal, try the statewide re:SearchTX system, which covers all 254 Texas counties and is maintained by the Texas Judicial Branch. For certified copies, plain copies, or documents not available online, contact the Harris County District Clerk's office in 24. Bring a photo ID and the cause number if you have it. Mail requests are also accepted if you include a check or money order for the estimated copy fee along with the case details. The Harris County e-Gov Portal is another online tool for Harris County court records. This resource covers a different part of the court system. Use it alongside the District Clerk portal for a complete picture of available case information in Harris County. The harris.tx.publicsearch.us portal remains the primary source for district court records maintained by the clerk's office in 24.

Check both resources above when searching Harris County court records. The District Clerk portal covers the widest range of case types. For statewide access across all Texas counties, use re:SearchTX. For certified copies or documents not available online, contact the Harris County District Clerk's office in 24 by phone, mail, or in person. The Harris County Clerk Records is another online tool for Harris County court records. This resource covers a different part of the court system. Use it alongside the District Clerk portal for a complete picture of available case information in Harris County. The harris.tx.publicsearch.us portal remains the primary source for district court records maintained by the clerk's office in 24. Check both resources above when searching Harris County court records. The District Clerk portal covers the widest range of case types. For statewide access across all Texas counties, use re:SearchTX. For certified copies or documents not available online, contact the Harris County District Clerk's office in 24 by phone, mail, or in person.

The Harris County JustEx District Courts is another online tool for Harris County court records. This resource covers a different part of the court system. Use it alongside the District Clerk portal for a complete picture of available case information in Harris County. The harris.tx.publicsearch.us portal remains the primary source for district court records maintained by the clerk's office in 24. Check both resources above when searching Harris County court records. The District Clerk portal covers the widest range of case types. For statewide access across all Texas counties, use re:SearchTX. For certified copies or documents not available online, contact the Harris County District Clerk's office in 24 by phone, mail, or in person.

Legal Help for Harris County Cases

Several organizations help people navigate Harris County courts. Lone Star Legal Aid covers the Houston area and handles civil legal matters for people with low incomes. That includes family law, housing, and consumer issues. Call (800) 733-8394 or visit lonestarlegal.org to apply. Houston Volunteer Lawyers also provides free legal clinics for family law matters. Call (713) 228-0732 for clinic schedules and eligibility. The State Bar of Texas runs a lawyer referral service at (800) 252-9690. You can search for attorneys by practice area at texasbar.com. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org provides free self-help guides, court forms, and step-by-step instructions for common legal tasks. The Texas State Law Library at sll.texas.gov has legal research tools and law books available to the public both in person and online.

Note that the Texas judiciary is not subject to the Public Information Act. Court record access is instead governed by Texas Supreme Court Rule 12, which sets the rules for what is public, what is confidential, and how you request access to restricted records.

Cities in Harris County

Harris County covers Houston and dozens of surrounding communities. All district court cases in the county go through the Harris County courthouse system in Houston.

Other communities in Harris County include Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, Deer Park, La Porte, and many more. All district court and county court cases in the county are handled at the Harris County courthouse in downtown Houston.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Harris County. If you need court records from a neighboring area, each county has its own clerk's office.